Position paper on the role of hypertriglyceridemia in development of diabetic retinopathy

Position paper on the role of hypertriglyceridemia in development of diabetic retinopathy

Yu.Sh. Khalimov¹, T.L. Karonova², I.V. Sergienko³, F.E. Shadrichev^1,4, V.S. Gurevich⁵, E.N. Grineva², A.R. Volkova¹, S.V. Villevalde², A.S. Izmailov⁶, A.G. Obrezan⁵, А.Е. Filippov⁵

¹Pavlov First Saint-Petersburg State Medical University, St. Petersburg

²V.A. Almazov National Medical Research Center, St. Petersburg

³Acad. E.I. Chazov National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, Moscow

⁴City Consultative and Diagnostic Center no. 1, St. Petersburg

⁵St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg

⁶St. Petersburg Branch of the S. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution, St. Petersburg

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) induced by metabolic disorders and subsequent microcirculation impairment. Also, it is one of the leading causes of vision loss in persons of working age. DR incidence grows respectively to DM duration. DR complications (e.g., intraocular hemorrhages, retinal traction detachment, macular edema) lead to disability of patients and a significant decrease in their quality of life. To update a relationship between lipid metabolism disorders and DR progression, an interdisciplinary Advisory Board including leading national cardiologists, ophthalmologists, and endocrinologists was held. The consensus document provides an overview of up-to-date scientific data on a prognostic role of hypertriglyceridemia in DR development and fenofibrate effect on mitigation of its progression risk.

Keywords: diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy, lipid metabolism disorders, dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, fenofibrate.

For citation: Khalimov Yu.Sh., Karonova T.L., Sergienko I.V., Shadrichev F.E., Gurevich V.S., Grineva E.N., Volkova A.R., Villevalde S.V., Izmailov A.S., Obrezan A.G., Filippov А.Е. Position paper on the role of hypertriglyceridemia in development of diabetic retinopathy. RMJ. 2025;2:–40. DOI: 10.32364/2225-2282-2025-2-7